Power-operated printing machine



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PBWERfOPERATED PRINTING: MACHINE 14 Shet-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 5. 1941 Cam/000254 Amm [an/4m 1. MAKE,

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June-6,1944. I v c. D. RYAN EI'AL I 2,350,703

POWER-OPERATED PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb; 5, 194 1 "14 Sheets-S he'et 9 Ju'n, 1944. ,..D.RYA'- M. 3 0 7 POWER-OPERATED PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1941 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 I 60/!000/76 0. 162w, 50mm 2 DRAKE,

'By v I (1 June 6,1944. c. D. RYAN ETAL 2,350,703

" rowEn-ornmmnrnmme MACHINE Filed Feb. -5, 1941 1'4 sheets-sheet 12 Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER-OPERATIjftZfNTING MACHIhTE V V Commodore D. Ryan and Edward P. Drake, Los

Angeles, Calif., assignors to National'Postal Meter Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application February 5, 1941, Serial No. 377,418 1 Claim. (Cl. 101-235) This invention relates generally to printing machines, and more particularly to electrically operated postage printing machines for printing postage on envelopes, tapes, and the like.

A general object of the invention is to provide an electrically operated printing machine of the type referred to, which is relatively simple in construction, reliable and trouble-free in operation, and kreadily adaptable to handle a wide variety of wor Another object is to provide an electrically operated machine that is readily adjustable for either steady operation, with the motor running continuously, or for intermittent work, inwhich the motor is automatically started at the beginning of each stamping operation and stopped at the end thereof. The first method or operation is advantageous when handling large quantities of mail, whereas the second method has advantages when relatively small amounts of mail are to be handled at any one time.

A more specific object is to provide an electrically operated postage printing machine that is automatically started in response to insertion into the machine of an envelope to be stamped, and that has a particularly sensitive control mechanism capable of being actuated by very and flexible envelopes.

Another object is to provide a power-operated printing machine that can be conditioned either to print postage on envelopes fed through the machine, or to print on a continuous tape and deliver the printed tape from the machine, and has suitable interlocks for insuring the proper operation of the machine in both conditions of adjustment, without the attention of a skilled operator.

Another object of the invention isfto provide an electrically operated postage printingmachin e having a particularly simple and. effective mechanism for insuring the complete discharge of printed envelopes from the machine. v

Other more specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the detail description which follows of a particular embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of a machin in accordance with the invention, as viewed from above, some gortions being shown in plan, and others insec- Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially in the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1; j

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially in the plane 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2;'

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken along the curved line 44 of Fig. 3; I a

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially in the plane 55 of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 5, but showing th mechanism in a diiferent operative position;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section, taken in the plane 88 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9'is a detail vertical section, taken in the plane 99 of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 10 is a detail horizontal section, taken in the plane llll 0 of Fi 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail vertical section, taken in the the plane I l-|lof Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 12 is a schematic wiring diagram ofthe electrical circuit of themachine;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section, taken substantially along the line I3--l3 of Fig. 1;, I 7

Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmental Views taken in the same plane as Fig. 13, showing difierent stages of operation in printing on envelopes;

Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 are sectional views taken in the same plane as Fig. 13, but showing the tape-printing mechanism in different positions of operation;

Fig. 21 is a vertical section taken substantially in the plane 2l2| of Fig. 13, with certain tension springs eliminated;

Fig. 22 is a horizontal section, taken substantially in the plane 2222 of Fig. 14, said tension 'The postage meter: 26 may be of the "type described in the copending application of Frank P.

SagenErnest R; Bergmark, Commodore-D. Ryan and Herschel L.' Atherton, Serial N -1332305, filed April 29, .1940, for Mail treating machine, and its details do notconstitute a part of the present invention. Suflice it to say that the meter has;

(1) Alcoupling member adapted to couple to the interlock pin at, 3|.

walls 5l'-and 52; respectively, of the powerplant, 7 V

" pulley 89 andhas ratchet teeth 82 (Fig. which vertical walls' 51 and 5'2; rfI'he'; forward; end v of constrained torotate in I and be driven by a driving coupling member on the powerplant 25;

(2) A downwardly extending locking pin which actuates certain interlock mechanisms in the powerplant;

(3) Locking pins cooperating with locking elements in the powerplant for lockingthe postage printing meter in operative positionon the powerplant;

(4) A printing head within a housing indi- 1Q cated at 21 in Fig. 24. e V A The coupling member on the postage meter 25 is indicated at 28 in Fig. 2, which shows only the rear end of the postage meter.- -:This,coupling 28f. cooperates with a drivingcoupling' 29,;which appears in Fig, 2 and also in Fig. 1 of the drawmgs. H

The postage meter is not shown'in' Fig. 1, but the locking and interlocking pins projecting downwardly therefrom are shown in section. Thus the'locking' pins are indicated at 30 and in There also projects downwardly fromthe postage meter 'a positioning pin. 32 which is adapted to be engaged by a locking lever 33 in the'powe'rplant when a locking handle. is swung intov locking position, The details of operation of the locking. pins 39 and the positioning .pin 32 and the, cooperating elements in the powerplant are notessential to an understanding of the present invention; and, will not be described herein... Theyare describedin detail in the aforementioned applicatio Serial No. 332,305, to Sager et al; preyiously'referred to.

.For the purpose of the present invention it is only necessary to know that the postage-meter 35 includes, position ed within'the housing 21, a ro tary printing head 35f(indicatedischematically in Fig,13), which is rotated by the coupling 28 to carry a'printing face" 36 thereon into c'ontact with an envelope 3'! moving through the ma- 40 chine, as shown in Fig. 15. It-will-be observed "from Fig. 15 that'the envelope- 3! is supported against the printing face 36 of the "printing head by a rotary platen 38 which platenis rotated in synchronism with-the printing head 35 of'the :of the present I DriDin 'Emechanism The'platen 38 is mounted onal shaft 39 (Fig. 1) which is journaled in bearings 40, and M in the sidewalls Mand -l3. respectively, of a platen carriage; At' its' rear end (the right end in Fig.1), the shaft 39 is connected by a u'niversal joint 45 to the frontend of a'connector shaft 4 6, the rear end of which isconn'ected by-a universal joint 41 Fig. 21in the front end of a platen driveshaft 48. This platen-drive shaft-43 is supported in bearings 49 and 50 in vertical and has pinnedtheret'o 'a gear 53' which peri'na- 6 nently meshes with a gear '54 of the same size on a meter d'rive shaft 55, which is positioned above' th'e platen-drive shaft' aa-and supported byb'earings 56 and 51', respectively, insthe two;

the meter drive shaft 55 carries; the driving coupling member 29 which engages ;the driven cou D .memhe. .2-8 0 :t. e p s a ii et ng t will pparent fromth o i si e c tion t the printing .platen and the printing head are unison with each other The shaft 55 and the shaft 48 are driven through a transmission ,and a clutch mechanism from'an electric motor 58 (Fig.1), this motor be ing mounted below the platform 59 which supports the postage meter. The motor shaft 60 (Fig. 2) is connected to the left end of a shaft 62 which is journaled at its right end in a bearing 63 in the wall 52. A suitable aperture 64 (Fig. 3) is provided in the wall 5| through which the coupling 6| extends. I

Pinned to the shaft 62 (Fig. 2) are two V-pulleys 65 and 66, respectively. The pulley 66 (Fig. 3 is coupled, by a crossed belt 61, to a pulley B8 pinned to the shaft 69, This shaft 69 (Fig. 1) is-supported at-its'right end by a bearing 10 in the wall plate 52, extends nearly the full length ofthe' machine, and is rotatably supported near its left end ina bearing 1| mounted in an oscil- On its extreme formounts'a rubber faced ejector roller 13 which functions to eject envelopes from the machine after theyhave been printed. I

The ejector; roller .13 is swung downward out offthe way whenthe machine is conditioned to print postage on tape, instead of on envelopes. This is accomplished by rocking the arm 12 downward about a shaft 14 (on which it is mounted by a bearing 15), the shaft 69 swinging simulta- "neously in the bearing 19, which'is of the uniiv'ersal' type similar tobearing 51 shown in detail in'Fig. 2. The details of construction of the ejector roller "and its adjustable supporting arm, 'lZdo not constitute a part of the present, inventionithey are fully described in our copending application, Serial No. 73 69,570, filed December 11,. 1940, to which reference is made. jIt will be observed from the foregoing descrip- Ytion thatthe shaft. 60. of the motor (Fig. 2) is permanently coupled to the pulley 66 whichis in .turnfcoupled'by the belt 61 to the pulley68 .(Fig., 1) on the shaft drivingthe ejectorroller l3,"s'o that the ejector roller, rotates with-the electricmotor at..all times. In thiswaythe inertiaof, the electricmotor.isutilized to continue the rotationof the ejector roller after the pri ting head and printing platen have stopped, as will -appear more clearly following the description ofLthe-driving' mechanism for the printing head and platen. 1 .l.

- Referring, again,- to Fig. 2, the pul1ey}65 is lcoupled .by'a 'V-belt Hito a largefv-pulle H, which isjournaled for free rotation-on the'shaft "4 8. The pulley I1 is integral with a small pulley 18- whi'ch in turn is coupled by a V-belt 19.to, a ,largemillley 89 journaled for free rotation-on thefshaft 55-,-wlnich drives the postage meter.

Thispulleyml is adapted to be selectively couet hub 8lwhich is formed integrally with, the

,are. adapted, under certain conditions of operationto bedescribed'later, to be'engaged by any iorie of. three pawls -83. All, of thesepawls, are similarly pivotally mounted on'pins-M, which extend between a pair of' discs and 85a, and are urged toward the ratchet, teeth 82 by-to r sion .springs 86. When one of the pawls .83'is in engagement with the ratchet hub 9i and the'latter 'is being rotated, the discs as and m a grotat'ed; and they in turn rotate the shaft .55 through a flexible coupling 81 .(Fig. 2), nowlto be described.

' flexible .coupling 8' includes a hub as to which the disc '85 issecured. The hub 88 is in turn secured to a three-aimed spider 89 (Figs.

9, which spider is secured by three bolts 99 toa flexible ring 9I. The ring 9I is also secured by three bolts 92, symmetrically spaced circumferentially with respect to the bolts 99; to the gear 54. pled through the flexible ring 9I to the clutch disc 85 and rotates with it, but the ring 9I is capable of yielding slightly and thereby cushions the shock incident to starting and stopping;

To facilitate adjustment of the rotary position of the shaft 55'with 'respect' to the clutch disc 85, the arms'of the spider 89' are. provided with arcuate slots 93 (Fig. 9) to receive the bolts 99, so that by loosening the bolts the spider 89 can be adjusted angularly to a desired position with respect to the gear 54 (which 'is pinned'to the shaft 55); and then looked in that position by tightening the bolts 99. To maintain the bolts 99 in proper alignment during adjustment operations, a floating spider '94 (Fig, I0) is provided immediately in front of the spider 89. This spider 94 fits freely on the shaft 55 and differs from the spider 89 in having round holes tight- 1y fitting the bolts 99, instead of having arcuate slots.

The important function of the floating spider 94 is to maintain the three bolts'9'9 substantially parallel with each other when they are loosened for adjustment and thereby prevent any possibility of the flexible ring 9I being distortedwhile making the adjustment. As the result ofdistortion, the driving torque transmitted by the ring might be localized in one portion of the ring, thereby reducing its life and also brodueing unbalanced radial forces between the associated parts, and thereby causing" premature wear. Nuts 99a are provided on the bolts 99 between the floating spider 94 and the flexible ring 9I to space those parts axially from each'oth'er and to permit the bolts to remain in firm clamping engagement with the ring 9I during adjustmentofthe spider 89. I

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, it will be noted from the description already given, that the ratchet hub BI constitutes the driving member of the clutch and the disc 85 mounting the pawls '83 constitutes the driven member. Normally the pawls 83 are maintained clear of the ratchet teeth 82 so that the clutch is disengaged. The

mechanism for disengaging the pawls includes a I clutch lever 95, which is positioned between the disc 85 and the ratchet hub 8| and is fulcrumed on a pin 95 which extends between the discs 85 and 85a. The lever 95 has an aperture 95a substantially larger than the shaft 55 through which teeth 82. The clutch lever 95 is normally held in the disengaging position shown in Fig. 5, against the force exerted by a tension spring98f, by a hook I M on an upwardly extending arm I 99 of a four-arm latch lever 99, the hook engaging a shoulder on the free end of the clutch lever 95. The latch lever 99 (Fig, 8) has a hub I92 which is rotatably supported on a bolt I93-,the latter being supported at its opposite ends by shock absorbing mountingsIM in'the walls I95 and I96 of a U-shaped bracket I9Ii which is secured to the base plate I98 of "the machine. The

Therefore. the" gear '54 (Fig. 2.) is couthe operation of the motor.

latch'lever 99 is normally held in. clockwise position; in which the hook I9'I engages the clutch lever '95, by a tension spring I99 stretched between a horizontally extending arm II9 of the latchlever 99 and a switch rocker plate III, the latter; being oscillatably supported by a screw ISIZ on the wall member I95. The spring I99 therefore not onlyurges the latch lever 99 clockwise, but urges the switch rocker plate I II counter-clockwise.

The clockwise movement of the latch lever 99inresponse to the force of the spring I99 :i-slimited bymovement of a downwardly extendin'g arm II3 thereon against a resilient stop member. H41! The latter is supported on the upper end: of a leaf spring H5 which is secured at its lower'end to the bracket member I9'I. The exact position of the stop member H4 can be adjusted. bya'screw H6. The switch rocker plate III has a shoulder III which bears against the rear'edgeof the arm H3 so that it follows the movement of the arm H3. The switch rocker plate. IIrI has clips H8 (Fig. 8) for supporting a mercury switch H9 having a pair of leads I29 and I2'I, which connect the mercury switch in series with the motor so that it can control When the switch rocker plate III and the latch lever 99 are in the position shown in Fig. 5, the switch is open and the. clutch is disengaged.

=In addition to holding the clutch lever 95 in position to disengage the clutch, the hook I M 'on' the latch lever arm I99 also engages a shoulder I22 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7) on the disc to stop the disc in a predetermined position.

- The disc 85 (Fig. 5) isrotating rapidly at the time it is stopped by engagement of the shoulder I22 against the hook I9I and tends to rebound. Means is provided to prevent such rebound. It includes a pawl I23 (Fig. 11) pivotally supported at I24 on the gear 54 for rotation therewith. The nose I25 of the pawl is urged outwardly by a leaf spring I25 into a position normally determined by engagement of a pin I2'I projecting from the side of the pawl, with the 'edge of anaperture I 28 in the gear 54. However, as the gear 54 approaches its normal position of rest, (which is shown in Fig. 11) the nose I25 of the pawl encounters an inclined surface on a stop member I29 secured to the wall 5I,"and is deflected against the forceof the leaf spring I26 as the gear moves into final position, at which time the nose of the pawl snaps past a shoulder at the upper end of the stop I29 (as shown in Fig. 11), and prevents any reverse movement of the gear. The stop member I29 is adjustably supported on the wall 5I by bolts I39 which extend through a slot I3I in the stop member.

"The latch'lever 99 (Fig. 5) is electrically operated, and to this endit has a horizontal arm I32 which is connected by a link I33 to the plunger I34 of a'solenoid I35, the latter being mounted on the bracket I 91-.

- When the solenoid I 35 is energized, it pull the plunger I34 downward, rocking the latch lever 99 counter-clockwise to carry the hook I9I clear of the shoulder I22 on the clutch lever 95. At the same time the switch plate H9 is rocked clockwise to start the motor, by the downwardly extending arm I I3 of the latch lever 99, all as shown in Fig. 7. Immediately upon, disengagement of the hook I9I, from the lever 95, the latter is rocked up- 83 and permitting them to be moved by their torsion springs against the ratchet teeth 82, so

'th'atone of the ratchet teeth 82 engages oneof the pawls 83 to rotate the disc 85and the shaft 55'. It will be noted that the disc 85 is free to rotate at this time because the'hook IN is held clear of the shoulder I22 on the disc 85;

The spacing of the three pawls 83 is such that only one of the pawls will engage one of the ratchet teeth, and the greatest distance that the ratchet hub can rotate before engaging one ofthe pawls 83 isv one-third of the distance between adjacent teeth. This permits the use of relatively coarse teeth on the ratchet member to-sprovidela positive 'driving engagement betweenthe pawl and the ratchet teeth, whileat :the same time insuring prompt engagement of the clutch. V The solenoid 135 is energized only. momenitarilyi so that well before the disc.85 has completed a revolution the latch lever 99'has been returned clockwise by the spring I09 to its normal ,position,.as shown in Fig. 5. Therefore as thedisc 85 moves into neutral position, the end of} the clutch leverv 95- is engaged by the hook and rocked counter-clockwise relative to the :disc 85 to: disengage the pawls 83 from driven engagement with the ratchet hub 8|. Furthermore the shoulder IZZ-on the disc 85 also engages the hook |0I on the latch lever immedi-. ately following the disengagement of the pawls 83, to positively stop the disc in the normal position of rest. 7

As has been previously indicated, the machine is designed to start and stop the motor at the beginning and end of each. cycle of operation. Furthermore, it will be recalled that'the motor was-started in response to energization of the solenoid I35 by the rockingmovement of the latch lever 99, the lower arm I I3 of which rocks the-switch plate III clockwise into the position shown inFig. 7. However, since the latch lever 99 is rocked only momentarily and returns to normal position prior to completion of the cycle of operation, it is necessary to take the switch plateIII. out of the control of the latch lever 99-following its movement into the position shown in Fig. 7, until the end of the cycle; To accomplish this result, the switch plate III is provided -'with a cam roller I31 which cooperates with a cam I38 on the shaft 48, which shaft is geared to and rotates at the same speed as the shaft 55. With the apparatus in normal, or neutral, position the roller I31 (Fig. 5) rests in a notch I39 .in thecam I38, However, immediately following the engagement of the clutch to rotate the shafts 55 and 48, the notch I39 is carried clear of the roller I 31 so that when the solenoid I 35 is de-' matically.

I When the solenoid I35 is energized, it snaps .the latch lever 99 and the switch plate I I sharply, and tends to kick the switch plate substantially past'its closed position. To prevent overtravel of the switch plate III, a bumper I40 is :provided on the wall 101, which bumper is in the l path of a stop arm I4I on the switch plate III. The bumper I40 is made of yieldable material, such as rubberized fabric, to reduce the noise of impact.

It is desirable that the V-pulleys I1 and be of the variable diameter type to permit ready adjustment of the belt tension and a feature of the present invention is a simpleand effective variable diameter V-pulley construction. Thus, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pulley 80 comprises two sheet metal sections I42 and I43, respectively, whichare adjustable axially with respect to each other to vary the effective diameter of the pulley. Theinner section I42 of the pulley isrigidly secured to the hub 8| as by welding I44. The outer section I43 is slidably mounted on a reduced extension I45 of the hub 8|, and is secured to the section I42 by three bolts I46 (Figs. 3 and 4) These bolts extendthrough slots I4'I formed in small areas I48 ofthe pulley sec.- tions, which areas are pressed at an'angle' to the main bodies of the flanges. It will be obvious from inspection of Figs. 3 and 4 that by "loosening the bolts |46 and rotating the free pulley section I43 with respect to the section M2, the sections can be separated to adesired extent and secured in the separated position by re-tightening the bolts I46.

An interlock is provided to prevent actuation of the latch lever 99 (Fig. 5) by the solenoid I35, unless the postage meter is properly secured to the power -unit, and is in operable condition. This interlock includes a latch I49 which cooperates with the horizontal-arm I I0 of the latch lever 99 and is controlled by the interlock pin 3| (Fig. 1) that projects from the bottom of :the postage meter. When the postage meter is in operative condition the pin 3| projects downwardly from the case of the meter a predetermined distance so that if the meter is properly secured in position upon: the meter-supporting platform 59, it depresses the forward end (the'left end in Fig. 1) of alever I50; This lever I50 is fulcrumed by a screw I 5| to a bracket I52 so that when the forward end of the lever is depressed by the interlock pin 3|, the rear end of the lever --I50 extends between the forksof the bifurcated end of an arm I53 of a yoke I54,-which is rotatably supported on a horizontal pin I55 anchored directly to thewall member 5| (Fig. l). The other arm of the yoke I54 extends upwardly and constitutes the latch I49, previously referred to.

When the forward end of the lever I50 is depressed by the interlock pin 3| of the postage meter (as it is when the machine is in proper operative condition), the rear end of the lever I50 is elevated to-rock the latch I49 clear of the end of the arm IIO, as shown in full lines in Fig; 5, so that the latch lever 99 can be actuated by the solenoid I35 to engage the clutch.

On the other hand, if the postage meter is not properly placed on the power unit, or if the interlock pin 3| of the postage meter has been retracted, due to any one of several conditions rendering the postage meter inoperative, then elevated by. a mechanism actuated by the arm 34, that locks-the postage meter in position when the arm isin releasing position. This mechanismis fullydisclosed in our copending application Serial No. 364,052, filed November 2, 1940,

aegsogroa and will therefore not be described in detail herein.

Electrical circuit Referring to the circuit diagram of Fig. 12, the motor 58 is shown connected by themercury switch II9 directly across a supply line I56, so

that it isenergized each time the mercury switch H9 is actuated. This constitutes the only energizing circuit for the-motor during intermittent operation. However, to permit continuous .operation of the motor, which is desi'rablewhen a large amount of material is to' be run through the machine; a separate manually operated switch I51 is connected in shunt to the mercury switch II9. When the manual switch I51 is closed, the motor is always energized, irrespective of the position of the mercury switch H9.

The solenoid I35 is connected to the supply line I56 through a switch I58, which switch is adapted to be operated by either of two different mech-. anisms, to be described later. A condenser I56 is. connected across the switch 158 to reduce arcing at the contacts.

The switch I58 is shown as of a well-known type (Figs. 16 and 21) consisting of acase I60 having a pair of mounting bolts I6I and 162 projectingtherefrom. The bolt I62 projects through a holein the carriage wall 43 (Fig. 1) and the bolt I6I projects through a slot I63 in the same wall to permit a limited adjusting movement of the switch case. The switch mechanism proper is contained within the case I60 and is actuated by a plunger I64 projecting from the case. A leaf spring-element I65 overlies the plunger I64 and is depressed to close the switch. through the plunger I64. by mechanisms to be described. To facilitate accurate adjustment of the position of the switch relative to the actuating mechanisms therefor, an adjusting bolt I66 is provided in an ear. I61 turned out from the plate 43. The leaf spring I65 is depressed to close the switch by pressure thereagainst of a lobe I68 on an arm I69, which is supported for swinging movement on a shaft I (Fig. 1) extending between the side plates 42 and 43 of the .platen carriage, previously referred to. i J

The arm I69 is normally urged counterclockwise, by a tension spring I89, against-a stop pin I90, but can be rocked clockwise to close, the

switch by either of two different mechanisms,

Mechanism for actuating the control switch in i ne'sponse to insertion of envelopes When the forward edge of the envelope 31 reaches the trigger I12, it rocks the lever'I13 counterclockw'me. Initial rocking movement of'the lever carries a pin I19 thereon against the shoulder I80 on an arm I8I fulcrumed at I82 to the arm I69. The arm '18] is normally held against a stop I 9I on arm I69 by a tension spring I88 stretched between the arm I8I and a stationary post I92; Further movement of lever I13 into the position shown in Fig. 14 imparts downward movement to the arm I81, and rocks the arm I69 clockwise todepress the, switch spring I and close the switch.

Closure of the switch energizes the solenoid to engage the clutch, as previously described, and

disc prevents return of the lever I13 back to normal position.

Downward movement of the arm I69 (Fig. 14) is limited by engagement of a surface I69a thereon against a hub I83 on the'lever I 13, which in turn limits counterclockwise movement of the lever I13 in response to pressure exerted against the trigger I12 by the envelope 31. The trigger I12 therefore functions as a stop to hold the en'- velope in a. predetermined position for engagement by the printing head and-platen so that the postage will always be imprinted on the envelope in a desired, longitudinal position.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 14, the platen 38 rotates counter clockwise until a lug I84pressed out from a disc' I85 on the platen shaft 39 reaches the upper end of the arm I8I and rocks the arm clockwise sufficiently to carry the shoulder 188 clear of the pin I19. Immediately thereafter, a cam shoulder I86 on the disc I18 reaches the lug I16 (Fig. 15) on lever I13 and cams-the lever further counter-clockwise into the position shown in Fig. 15 and holds it in that position throughout theremainde'r of the cycle. The additional counter-clockwise movement of the lever I13 carries the pin I19 When the machine is set for the stamping. of

envelopes, or the like, (that may be manually fed into the machine) the printing head 35,.the

thecondition shown in Fig..13. This view shows anenyelope 31 supported on a table IN and which is being pushed into the machine inthe direction indicated bythe arrow lfrom right to left in ,Fig. 13). Positioned in the path ofv the envelope31 is a trigger I12 which constitutes the upper end of a lever I13 fulcrumed .onfa stub shaft'IH on the plate 43 (Fig. 13),, The lever I15, and its clockwise movement is limited ,by contact of an ear 116 against the bottomofa notch I11Zin a disc I18 (Fig. l3l-seguredrto the shaft 39 which supports and drives the ,platen 38, so that the disc rotates with the platen.

I 13 is urged clockwise by a light tension spring pasttheslioulder I into the path of a second shoulder' IIlTon the arm I8I to block return of the latter in response to the force of a tension spring I88, after the lug I84 has moved past I the upper endof arm I8I. i V

' The 'movement of theshoulder I80 clear of V the pin I19,permits thetension spring'189 to rock the lever I69 counter-clockwise back into its normal position, resting against the stop pin I90, this movementcarryin'gthe arm I 8| upwardly so that the shoulder I81 thereon is juxtaposed tothepin I19; Q I j With the p aratus in' the" position ShOWn in Fig. 15, the leading end of the envelope 31 is platen 38 and the associated mechanism, are in being-i ehigageauhetween the printingrsur'face 35 of the printing head 35 andthe'pressureface of the platen as, so that .continiiedrotation of the printingjhe'ad and the platencarries" the. envelope therebetween and imprints the postage I.13Iby. its tension spring I15backinto the normal positionhqwnfin lfig. 43.- Upon this return movement. of -;the arm 113,, the. pin I19. therein Snaps pa t t me formeu-by theitwo-ishoulders I 80 and, I'31g.0n, theiarmwIBI, permitting re- 6. tractionjoiithe arm I8I its spring I88 against its stop pinjI'9I; 7 '1 j Sincethe switchj'l58'was opened prior'to the completion of 'the cyclejthe clutch is' disengaged atthe end of the cycle 'by' the arm I (Fig.

o'n'i the latch lever 99 and "the machine will 're'- main in normal position until the solenoid is again energizedibyj movement 'ofanother envelope-(Fig.13)"against the trigger I12, when the machine will be actuated as'described to operate through one cycle; andprint'postage on the envelope as itis fed therethr'oughg' 7 As the envelopes leave the printinghead. and platen theyare delivered between the discharge roller 13 (Figs. land 24) and an idler roller I93 and they are discharged from the' machine by the driving action of the'r'oller 13. It is desirable that the discharge roller 13 continue to rotate fer'an appreciable interval "of'tiine' following completion of a cycle'of operation of the printing head and platen, to insure that'long envelopes will be completely discharged." It is for this reason that the discharge'roller 13 is positively driven from the electric motor'58 independentlyoffthe clutch that couples the driving motor tothe'printing head and platen. I When .the maehine is being operated intermittently,

the motor switch is opened at the same time that the clutch is disengaged to stoptheprintihg head and platen, butwhe'reas' the printing head "and platen are stopped .immediately by the disengagez'nent of the clutch, the electric motor continues to rotate by virtue ofl'its momentum thereby continuingthe rotatidn of the discharge roller for a suflicient length of time followingoompletion of the printing'eycle to discharge the longest envelope from the machin e, A v

Mechm'iism for actuating the control switch when printing on tape r When it 'is desired to print postage on tape, instead'of on envelopes and the like, theenvelope-actuated'i'trig'ger I12' and the "discharge roller 13 are swung out of the "way, "and 'a tape-l handling mechanism is swung into positionfto feed tape betwenthe printing head; and platen. When' adjusted to print on tape, the 'ri iachine is started by manually depressing a push button I 95 (Figs. land '24) "which push button ismo'unt-i ed on a plunger I96 (Figfl ilfsupportedin a guide bracket I91 and isnormally maintained'in outer position by a compression'spring I98. Depression of the'push button] 95 operates through a linkage to closethe" switch I58 and energize the solenoid to start a printing 'cyclef {Thus the inhi en'df'o'f the manger I96, (Fig. l3)"be'arsagainst the upper end of "an arm I99 which is secured to a sleeve 200 rotatably supported on the'shaft I10. The arm ,I99 is normally urged counter-clockwise against the m ng:

I99 is fastened to, and the arin 204 extends between a pair of pins 205 and 206 on a frame member 201 of a tape chute 208. The pins 205 and206 prevent rocking movement of the arm 204, which in turn prevents movement of the arm I99 in response to force, transmitted'thereto by the plunger I96 from the push button. It

will be apparent, therefore, that while the machine is conditioned for printing on envelopes, it is impossible to energize, the clutch solenoid with the push button I95.

The tape-handling'chute 208 is supported on rear and front framemembers 201 and 209, respectively, which rotatev on a shaft 2I0 which extends between the platen carriage frame plates and 43 (Fi .1).

The machineis adjusted to print on tape instead of on envelopes, by rocking a control arm 2II (Figs. 1 and 24) which swings the discharge roller downwardly out of the way and simultaneously rocks the tape chute 208 about the shaft 2I0 from the inactive position shown in Fig. 13 into the active position shown in Fig. 17. The mechanism for shifting the discharge roller and the tape chute in response to manual movement of the control arm 2 is fully described in our copending application Serial No. 369,570, and need not be described herein since an understanding of it is not essential to an understandtary movement therewith, a collar 2I2 having an i ear 2I3 which is normally positioned just to the right of a downwardly extending finger2l4'o'n the arm I69, so as to permit downward movement of the arm to actuate the switch in the manner previously described. However, the initial movement of the tape chute 208 counterclockwise carries the ear 2I3 into the path of the finger 2I4(Fig. 16) to prevent downward movement of the arm I 69, and it remains in position to block the finger 2I4 until the tape chute has completed its movement into the position shown in Fig. 1'7, (which movement carries the ear 2I3 past the finger 2). By the time the tape chute has been moved into operative position (Fig. 17) ,the envelope trigger I12 has been moved out of the way and rendered inoperative to actuate the switch I58, so that the latter is then under the sole control of the plunger I96.

The envelope trigger I12 is shifted out of the position, the mechanism coupling the trigger to shoulder202 overlying an ear 203 onthe' arm I8I, so that'depression of the plunger I96joausefs] the shoulder 202 to engage the ear 203-oaths arm'I8I and rock it and the arm "I69 aows am .to close-the switchISIl in the'mahnerpreviously eludes an. mm ;204 projecting downwardly-and to the right (as viewed in- Fig. 13) which arm I is fastened to the samesleeve 200 thatthe arm the switch being disabled to permit the movement; In this connection, it will be recalled that when themechanism is in condition for stamp-- ing envelopes, movement of the trigger I12 (Fig.

13); by an envelope, roclzs the trigger lever I13 I8I is pivoted. However, movement of 'the trig ger. lever I12 by the nose of the tape chute, .208

cannot actuate the switch because before the -nose of thechute reachesthe envelope triggerjthe pin 206 on the chute frame cams a tail 2 I 5 (Fig.

16): onthe arm. I 8 I downwardly; rocking the'' shoulder I clear o f the path of' the'pinjI19jf while the trigger lever. I131 is being rocked into the position shown in Fig. 17. Final movement 

